History Main / HairstyleMalfunction

* Whenever two ghetto girls get in a {{catfight}}, it's an unwritten rule that whoever's weave gets ripped out first loses the fight.

[[folder: Comic Books ]]

* In ''[[ComicBook/DarkVictory Batman: Dark Victory]]'', Sofia Gigante pulls off her wig to embarrass Batman for accusing her, a wheelchair user due to an accident, of aiding a crime. [[spoiler: She doesn't need the wheelchair at all, and the baldness and wheelchair is largely to give her an alibi.]]

[[folder: Films -- Animated ]]

* [[spoiler: Rapunzel]] in ''WesternAnimation/ShrekTheThird'' is revealed to be bald when the Gingerbread Man uses her hair as a bungee cord.
* In ''WesternAnimation/PocahontasIIJourneyToANewWorld'' ,during the "What A Day In London" musical number, one random woman sings [about Pocahontas] "I wish I had her hair" just as someone behind her with a mop accidentally lifts her wig off.

[[folder: Films -- Live-Action ]]

* Louise in ''Film/HouseArrest'' wears a hairpiece that accidentally gets pulled off by one of the other moms. Her hair isn't that much shorter so she goes without it for the rest of the film.

* In ''Film/IvanVasilievichChangesProfession'', when Bunsha's wife goes crazy, she suddenly takes off her wig and we find out that she's not quite bald, but has a really short cut

* [[spoiler:Benny]] in ''Film/{{Kopps}}'' is revealed to have a toupee during the car chase towards the end.
* In Literature/JamesAndTheGiantPeach, as part of their HumiliationConga at the end, Aunt Sponge and Spiker's red wigs come falling off, revealing their actual hair to be short, grey, and partially balding.

[[folder: Literature ]]

* In ''Literature/ThePrincessBride'', a potential bride for Prince Humperdinck visits, bringing along her hugely famous collection of hats. Unfortunately for her, a breeze blows through the castle while she's there, her hat comes off to reveal her (heretofore hidden) baldness, and Humperdinck is ready to go to war with her country because of the embarrassment he suffered seeing her.[[note]]This was completely left out of TheFilmOfTheBook.[[/note]]

* ''Literature/ForestKingdom'': During the first chapter of ''Beyond the Blue Moon'', Hawk and Fisher discover that their fellow guard Mistique is bald and hiding it under a wig when a zombie grabs hold of said wig and accidentally pulls it off. Mistique does ''not'' appreciate having her baldness exposed and violently takes out her anger on the zombie in retaliation.

[[folder: Live Action TV]]

* An episode of ''Series/KenanAndKel'' had a rat loose in Rigby's and Kel found it crawling around in a woman's hair. He goes to grab it... and reveals she's wearing a wig.
* Happens twice in an episode of ''The Suite Life'' where Mr. Moseby knocks the same woman's wig off by accidentally hitting her with a pillow. She's wearing a different wig the second time and turns around to exclaim, "You again!"

* During a CatFight in a club in ''Raw'' [=JoJo=] accidentally rips a girl's extensions out, adding insult to injury for unknowingly making out with her boyfriend.

* Variation: an episode of ''Series/FamilyMatters'' had Laura ordering shady shampoo from out of the back of a magazine. The next morning, she, Harriette, Rachel and Estelle have all gone bald. Rachel reads the back of the bottle -- "[[ExactWords You'll love how your hair comes out!]]" Naturally, Carl, Eddie and even Richie can't help but crack a few jokes.

[[folder: Professional Wrestling ]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

[[folder: Web Animation ]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'':
** An episode had a news reporter who the others kept referring to as "the one with the hair". When an avalanche of rubbish pours out from the garage, the force of it knocks the reporter's wig off on live TV.
** Inverted when Tommy and Chuckie are horrified to find out that Aunt Miriam wears a wig (they think she's an alien). She, however, isn't bothered by them seeing her without it.

* Hogatha in ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs1981'' constantly wears a wig. In the episode "Smurfette's Golden Tresses", she wears a blond beehive wig on her date with Lizardo, only for the beehive to attract a swarm of bees that forced her to jump into the pond, where she lost her wig and her date.
* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls1998'': "The Mane Event" had Bubbles and Buttercup accidentally ripping off a tuft of Blossom's hair from the back. In trying to fix it, they wind up lopping off Blossom's hair almost completely.

* WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts:
** ''WesternAnimation/CaseyBatsAgain'': When he steps up to the plate disguised as Patsy, Casey's wig falls over his eyes during the first pitch, which gets him his first strike.

[[folder: Real Life ]]

** In ''Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E9SweetAndElite'', Rainbow Dash's errant croquet mallet knocks the wig off of a mare.
** In ''Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS7E20ItIsntTheManeThingAboutYou'', Rarity ends up half bald after mixing up a potion from Zecora.

* WebAnimation/ADayWithBowserJr: In Two Koopas for a throne (part 3), Ludwig drinks up a magic healing potion despite Kamek's warning of its nasty side-effects if taken in a hurry. The result is a ridiculous new blonde hairstyle.

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

* The modern Comicbook/{{Batwoman}}, Kate Kane, has short red hair but wears a long red wig to help disguise her identity. At one point the villain Alice tries to grab her ByTheHair and is quite surprised to pull off the wig instead, allowing Kate to escape.

* Happened in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/MegaMan'' to a one-off crook working with Willy.

* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'': "The Mane Event" had Bubbles and Buttercup accidentally ripping off a tuft of Blossom's hair from the back. In trying to fix it, they wind up lopping off Blossom's hair almost completely.

The DistaffCounterpart to FakeHairDrama[=/=]DodgyToupee. From the existence of the BaldWoman trope, you know that if a woman is bald then there's obviously something not right and she'll likely try to hide this lack of hair with a wig. Whatever wig she's chosen is apparently very flimsy as it'll inevitably get ripped off, exposing her naked head to the world. She will shriek in embarrassment and try to cover it up while the person who ripped off the wig will apologise endlessly. This is always PlayedForLaughs and the woman will typically be just a random extra or if she's a developed character, she'll be a nasty person so this wig reveal is her getting some kind of comeuppance. The woman doesn't actually have to be bald as the wig could just be covering up a bad dye job or the woman just felt like wearing a wig for some reason. Another variation can include a girl wearing hair extensions to get them ripped out. See also GagHaircut. Compare MistakenForFakeHair.

* Hogatha in ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs'' constantly wears a wig. In the episode "Smurfette's Golden Tresses", she wears a blond beehive wig on her date with Lizardo, only for the beehive to attract a swarm of bees that forced her to jump into the pond, where she lost her wig and her date.

The DistaffCounterpart to FakeHairDrama[=/=]DodgyToupee. From the existence of the BaldWoman trope, you know that if a woman is bald then there's obviously something not right and she'll likely try to hide this lack of hair with a wig. Whatever wig she's chosen is apparently very flimsy as it'll inevitably get ripped off, exposing her naked head to the world. She will shriek in embarrassment and try to cover it up while the person who ripped off the wig will apologise endlessly. This is always PlayedForLaughs and the woman will typically be just a random extra or if she's a developed character, she'll be a nasty person so this wig reveal is her getting some kind of comeuppance. The woman doesn't actually have to be bald as the wig could just be covering up a bad dye job or the woman just felt like wearing a wig for some reason. Another variation can include a girl wearing hair extensions to get them ripped out. See also GagHaircut.

The DistaffCounterpart to FakeHairDrama[=\=]DodgyToupee. From the existence of the BaldWoman trope, you know that if a woman is bald then there's obviously something not right and she'll likely try to hide this lack of hair with a wig. Whatever wig she's chosen is apparently very flimsy as it'll inevitably get ripped off, exposing her naked head to the world. She will shriek in embarrassment and try to cover it up while the person who ripped off the wig will apologise endlessly. This is always PlayedForLaughs and the woman will typically be just a random extra or if she's a developed character, she'll be a nasty person so this wig reveal is her getting some kind of comeuppance. The woman doesn't actually have to be bald as the wig could just be covering up a bad dye job or the woman just felt like wearing a wig for some reason. Another variation can include a girl wearing hair extensions to get them ripped out. See also GagHaircut.

* Happens to the school teacher Miss Grundy in ''Franchise/ArchieComics''. In another issue, it happened to ''Veronica,'' who wasn't bald but had gotten a new haircut she wasn't happy with and proceeded to get a wig made to look like her old style.

** Inverted when Tommy and Chuckie are horrified to find out that Aunt Miriam wears a wig (they think she's an alien). She however isn't bothered by them seeing her without it.
* In ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' Hayley's head had been shaved by Stan, and while she's working as a pole dancer her wig accidentally comes off, provoking cries of revulsion from the crowd saying "that's the only place you want them to have hair!"

* In ''Disney/PocahontasIIJourneyToANewWorld'' ,during the "What A Day In London" musical number, one random woman sings [about Pocahontas] "I wish I had her hair" just as someone behind her with a mop accidentally lifts her wig off.
* Yzma in ''Disney/TheEmperorsNewGroove'' is enraged when Kronk enters her tent at night and finds out she's bald.

* Happens to the school teacher Miss Grundy in ''Franchise/ArchieComics''.

* In ''[[IvanVasilievich Ivan Vasilievich Changes Profession]]'', when Bunsha's wife goes crazy, she suddenly takes off her wig and we find out that she's not quite bald, but has a really short cut

* In ''Literature/ThePrincessBride'', a potential bride for Humperdink visits, bringing along her hugely famous collection of hats. Unfortunately for her, a breeze blows through the castle while she's there, her hat comes off to reveal her (heretofore hidden) baldness, and Humperdink is ready to go to war with her country because of the embarrassment he suffered seeing her.

* An episode of ''Series/KenanAndKel'' had a rat loose in Rigby's and Kel found it crawling around in a woman's hair. He goes to grab it...and reveals she's wearing a wig.
* Happens twice in an episode of ''The Suite Life'' where Mr Moseby knocks the same woman's wig off by accidentally hitting her with a pillow. She's wearing a different wig the second time and turns around to exclaim "you again!"
* In ''Series/TheBrothersGarcia'' Lorenna gets to meet her favourite actress but said actress is a complete diva and insults her whole family. Lorenna throws a head of lettuce at the actress and ends up knocking her wig off. The actress's co-star has this to say:

* Happened in an episode of ''Series/{{Misfits}}'' to Kelly, who'd run afoul of a person whose power was to depilitate people around her when she was upset. Kelly had been wearing a hat and a bad wig, which got knocked off.

* A variation in an episode of ''Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch'' where molecular instability causes Sabrina's ponytail to come off. She explains it away as extensions coming loose.

* Happened to Mary Queen of Scots after her execution when the executioner tried to do the [[DecapitationPresentation Behold The Head Of A Traitor]]. The headsman was left with a handful of wig while Mary's head bounced under the scaffold. A final [[ButtMonkey fuck you from the universe to her]].

* Happens to the school teacher Miss Grundy in ''ComicBook/ArchieComics''.
* The modern {{Comicbook/Batwoman}}, Kate Kane, has short red hair but wears a long red wig to help disguise her identity. At one point the villain Alice tries to grab her ByTheHair and is quite surprised to pull off the wig instead, allowing Kate to escape.

[[AC:ComicBooks]]
* In ''[[ComicBook/DarkVictory Batman: Dark Victory]]'', Sofia Gigante pulls off her wig to embarrass Batman for accusing her, a wheelchair user due to an accident, of aiding a crime. [[spoiler: She doesn't need the wheelchair at all, and the baldness and wheelchair is largely to give her an alibi.]]
* Happens to the school teacher Miss Grundy in ''ComicBook/ArchieComics''.

[[AC:Films -- Animated]]
* [[spoiler: Rapunzel]] in ''WesternAnimation/ShrekTheThird'' is revealed to be bald when the Gingerbread Man uses her hair as a bungee cord.
* In ''Disney/PocahontasIIJourneyToANewWorld'' ,during the "What A Day In London" musical number, one random woman sings [about Pocahontas] "I wish I had her hair" just as someone behind her with a mop accidentally lifts her wig off.

[[AC:Films -- Live-Action]]
* Louise in ''Film/HouseArrest'' wears a hairpiece that accidentally gets pulled off by one of the other moms. Her hair isn't that much shorter so she goes without it for the rest of the film.

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]
* In ''Literature/ThePrincessBride'', a potential bride for Humperdink visits, bringing along her hugely famous collection of hats. Unfortunately for her, a breeze blows through the castle while she's there, her hat comes off to reveal her (heretofore hidden) baldness, and Humperdink is ready to go to war with her country because of the embarrassment he suffered seeing her.
* ''Literature/HarryPotter'' refers to an embarrassing incident when he was in primary school and turned his teacher's wig blue by accident.

[[AC: LiveActionTV]]
* An episode of ''Series/KenanAndKel'' had a rat loose in Rigby's and Kel found it crawling around in a woman's hair. He goes to grab it...and reveals she's wearing a wig.
* Happens twice in an episode of ''The Suite Life'' where Mr Moseby knocks the same woman's wig off by accidentally hitting her with a pillow. She's wearing a different wig the second time and turns around to exclaim "you again!"
* In ''Series/TheBrothersGarcia'' Lorenna gets to meet her favourite actress but said actress is a complete diva and insults her whole family. Lorenna throws a head of lettuce at the actress and ends up knocking her wig off. The actress's co-star has this to say:

[[AC: ProfessionalWrestling]]
* Wrestling/MollyHolly had her head shaved at ''[=WrestleMania=] XX'' and wore a wig for the next several months. There was a RunningGag of her losing matches when the wig would get ripped off, embarrassing her.
* Wrestling/{{Natalya|Neidhart}} and Wrestling/AliciaFox currently seem to love doing this to each other. Alicia first ripped a chunk out of Natalya's weave in a match on ''Raw''. Six months later Nattie returned the favour on ''Superstars'' and she did it again in another match. Alicia got her revenge a few weeks later. In that case the malfunction helped her win the match.

[[AC: WebAnimation]]

[[AC: WesternAnimation]]

[[AC: RealLife]]